Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Editorial
. 2024 Oct 12;35(1):517-522.
doi: 10.1007/s40670-024-02194-7. eCollection 2025 Feb.

Manga: An Underutilized Resource in Medical Education

Affiliations
Editorial

Manga: An Underutilized Resource in Medical Education

Andrew S Cale. Med Sci Educ. .

Abstract

Manga, a popular form of Japanese comics, is an underexplored resource in medical education. Though meant as entertainment, manga has the potential to enhance learning through its application of illustrations, compelling narratives, and relatable characters. Manga may be particularly well-suited for conveying complex medical concepts and developing the empathy and communication skills of learners through patient experiences. This commentary offers a recommended reading list of manga titles that can serve as a starting point for educators interested in integrating manga into their curricula. However, additional empirical research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of manga in medical education.

Keywords: Comics; Graphic Medicine; Manga; Medical Education.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Competing InterestsThe author declares no competing interests.

References

    1. Thompson J. Manga: the complete guide. New York: Del Rey; 2012.
    1. Johnson-Woods T, editor. Manga: an anthology of global and cultural perspectives. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing USA; 2010.
    1. Brenner RE. Understanding manga and anime. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing USA; 2007.
    1. Bryce M, Davis J. An overview of manga genres. In: Johnson-Woods T, editor. Manga: an anthology of global and cultural perspectives. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing USA; 2010. p. 34–61.
    1. Polaris Market Research. Global Manga Market Size, Share, Growth Analysis Report, By 2032 [Internet]. Polaris Market Research; 2024 [cited 2024 Jul 18]. Available from: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/manga-market.

Publication types